| Not too long ago, the only use of the word "firewall" | | | | security. |
| was to refer to a wall built to contain a fire and | | | | Windows now comes with a firewall included. For |
| prevent it from spreading to another part of a building. | | | | those who do not use Windows or want to use a |
| With the advent of the internet and security concerns, | | | | different firewall, there are a number of paid as well as |
| it has become something that no internet-connected | | | | free firewalls that work well from other companies. |
| computer, and an increasingly number of | | | | Whatever firewall one uses, it is important to make |
| internet-connected devices, should not be without. | | | | sure it comes from a reputable source. |
| A modern firewall is as a device between a private | | | | As necessary as they are, firewalls do have |
| network and the internet that inspects incoming traffic | | | | drawbacks. They use system resources and can slow |
| and only allows approved protocols through. By | | | | a computer down. Configuration can also be a |
| keeping harmful things from a computer, a computer | | | | problem. Certain types of traffic is allowed through a |
| firewall does work a lot like a traditional firewall. | | | | firewall by default. However, firewalls often block |
| With so many threats out there from worms and | | | | desired traffic and sometimes need to be configured |
| viruses to hacking and break-ins, having a good firewall | | | | to allow places that the user needs to access. Higher |
| is as least as important as having anti-virus, | | | | security settings offer better levels of security but |
| anti-phishing and other types of software to protect | | | | increase the chance sites the user wants to access |
| against possible threats. One should not be paranoid, | | | | will be blocked. |
| but still needs to take security seriously. No single | | | | The benefits of computer firewalls far outweigh their |
| software should ever be relied on to protect from | | | | drawbacks though, and they are a must for computer |
| every possible threat, but a firewall is central to | | | | security. |